Ladder



(No Model.)

W. G. SIGKLES.

LADDER.

No. 409,711. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

VILLIAIWI G. SICKLES, OF STUYVESANT', NEWV YORK.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 4,09,711, dated August27, 1889.

Application filed March 29, 1889- Serial No- 305,279- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. SIcKLEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stuyvesant, in the county of Columbia and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Extension-Foot for Ladders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ladders; and the object of myinvention is to produce a ladder provided with an adjustableextension-foot that will enable it to maintain a vertical position whenused on a sloping surface. I accomplish this object by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows aladder provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of myadjustable extension-foot. Fig. 3 is a section along the line a Z) onFig. 2.

When it is necessary to erect a ladder on a side hill, it is usual toplace blocks under one side piece thereof, in order that it may becaused to maintain an upright position, and these blocks are very liable.to become displaced, causing the overthrow of the ladder and consequentinjury to the one on it. By the use of my invention this danger andinconvenience is obviated.

To one of the side pieces A of the ladder I attach the extension-bar Bby means of the straps F F, the bar B moving freely up and down betweenthe side of the ladder and the said straps.

At the end of the bar B, I place a pressen foot provided with a plateII, extending at right angles to the bar. 13, under and flush with theopposite side of the side piece A of the ladder, to which the bar B isattached. To said plate H is attached a spur 0, smaller than the plateII, the plate II extending outwardly from the spur on all sides, thuslimiting the passage of thespur into the ground. This is avery necessarypart of myinvention, and its importance is especially noticed when theladder is used by fruit-pickers. hen

the ladder is to be used 011 a horizontal surface, the foot of the6Xt611Sl011-bLPB and the foot of the opposite side piece are in the samehorizontal plane, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. To securely hold theside bar B in the position in which it is placed, I arrange a bolt orpin P in the side piece A, which extends through the holes 71 h in theextension-bar B into the strap F.

Around the bolt I, I place a coil-spring S, which is in contact with afiangez on the boltnear the middle of the bolt, and also in c011- tactwith the plate T, set into the side piece A of the ladder, in contactwith which the head of the bolt presses. When thebolt Pis Withdrawn fromthe bar B, the spring S becomes compressed, and when it is released theresiliency of the spring will cause the bolt to enter one of the holes hwhen it comes opposite the end of the bolt. A pin may be used withoutthe spring attachment, or a different arrangement for, operating thebolt may be supplied Without materially altering my invention.

WVhen it is desired to raise a ladder supplied with my invention onasloping surface, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, I draw out theextension-bar B suificiently to make the ladder-rounds level, and thebolt Pis allowed to pass into the extension-bar, holding it securely inplace.

, The operation of my ladder-extension foot is extremely simple. Thedevice is inexpensive. It performs its functions in a positive andsatisfactory manner.

NVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

In a ladder, the combination of the extension-bar 13, movable in avertical plane in contact with one of the side pieces of aladder, saidextension-bar provided with a series of holes, a presser-foot attachedto said bar B, having an upper horizontal portion II and a lower smallerpointed portion 0, with a bolt P, passing through the side piece A ofthe ladder, engaging with the holes in the bar B, said bolt operated bythe spiral spring S, placed about the shank of the bolt and securedwithin the side piece A, all substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

\VILLIAM G. SIOKLES.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK W. CAMERON, SEYMOUR N. HARRIS.

